Random Thoughts

- The Fan is glad that the Soriano crisis is over. Things could get bumpy in left field for the Nationals slugger, but at least he is playing the game he so obviously loves. He will continue to be one of the Flagrant Fan box score watches.

- The Fan doesn't want to talk about steroids or even think about them. The situation is the kind of story that the thrill-seeking journalists of our era love so much. It's so much more fun to find stories to tear down the high and mighty than it is to build interest in the game they supposedly love.

The key for the Fan is that testing is now in place to stop it and both the owners and the players understand that steroids and hormone injections are bad for the game. What happened before this time happened. It's not dissimilar to the free 70's when free sex and our hippie past led to STD's and drug addiction. We learn and we move on. Let's play ball already.

- The traditionally losing teams that have the best chance to turn it around this year are the Tigers and the Devil Rays. New managers and some interesting talent could turn them around.

- It was sad to see Ricky Bottalico waived two days ago. Bottalico can no longer blow away batters like in the past, but he can still get some people out. Here's hoping that he catches on somewhere.

- Sons of former players are always interesting when they come up to the big leagues. There is more anticipation and curiosity in the arrival. Will Prince Fielder be the bomb that he seems to be? It looks like Jesse Barfield's son, Josh, has a good chance for the starting second base job with the Padres. There are two more box score watches.

- For a catcher to go to the hospital as Jorge Posada did with his broken nose, it must have been pretty bad.

- It looks like Sidney Ponson is going to get one more chance with the Cardinals. Let's hope the pitcher realizes that he's had more chances than most would with his history.

- There aren't too many sadder stories than those of Darryl Strawberry and Doc Gooden. Those two men had so much talent and just could not get past their problems. It hurts inside to think of the road they both traveled.